We begin this retreat learning to come to a place of rest with God. For some of us, that means an everyday event. For others, it may mean a once a week, or even once a month, refresher time. Perhaps it’s a yearly event that takes you away from your home for a few days. For us this weekend it means taking time to be in communion with our sisters as we rested with God.
We will rest. We will sit at the feet of Jesus and listen to his voice. We will breathe in his holiness and let all of our anxieties and cares flow out as we exhale. We will feel refreshed, like the deer at the river. His cool, clear water of life has flowed over us, through us. Maybe for the first time in a long time we can enjoy the beauty of the world and delight in his creation.
And in this idyllic moment comes the thought, what now? Can I just stay here forever? Can I just let the world go on around me and cocoon myself in this love? And even as we ask it, we know the answer – no. We have kingdom work to do – not for God’s sake. He can do all things with or without us. But he chooses to do all things with us – for our good, as well as that of others. There are moments out there waiting for your touch, your words, your prayers.
And that is where we will be at the end of the day. We will have learned what it is to come in to his rest. Then, we will work on how to go out of this place with his refreshment still intact in our hearts.
There are several moments where Jesus called his disciples to action. We see one of them in the verses just before the passage we have been studying. In Mark, chapter 6, verses 7-13 we read:
And he called the twelve and began to send them out two by two, and gave them authority over the unclean spirits. He charged them to take nothing for their journey except a staff – no bread, no bag, no money in their belts – but to wear sandals and not to put on two tunics. And he said to them, “Whenever you enter a house, stay there until you depart from there. And if any place will not receive you and they will not listen to you, when you leave, shake off the dust that is on your feet as a testimony against them.” So they went out and proclaimed people should repent. And they cast out many demons and anointed with oil many who were sick and healed them.
This, then, was what they were doing prior to their need for rest. They had gone out on their own, without Jesus physically right beside them, and had done kingdom work. They took Jesus out to the world. They came in tired, but excited about the outcome. And Jesus calls them to rest. According to one Christian teacher, this is what we might call the rhythm of Christian life. It is a continuous going into the presence of God from the presence of men and coming out into the presence of men from the presence of God.
There are two dangers in this Christian life: too much activity – never stopping to come to the presence of God, never taking time to hear the voice of God in a quiet space. And on the other hand, there can be too much withdrawal – never wanting to leave the resting place to go out into the world.
As Christians, we need to come into a balance of these two opposites. While we cannot live well without time with God, we are just as fruitless when we seek the fellowship of God to the exclusion of the fellowship of men. It is much like our physical lives – we cannot work unless we have had rest, and we cannot rest well if we have not put forth some work to make us tired.
So we go out from our restful place, having listened quietly to God while we rested. And now we have to make a choice. There are several points to make about your leaving the restful place. And they are found in that passage I read, verses 7-13.
First, Jesus gave his disciples authority. If you had his authority, what could you do for the kingdom? There is freedom in this statement. When a king gave someone else his authority, then that meant they spoke only what they had been given to speak, and did only what had been authorized to do. If you have the authority of Jesus, then you speak His words, do His work, show His love. Not on your own – nothing comes from you but that which comes through Christ first if you are in this mode. So, you have the authority of Jesus with you.
Jesus also told them to go forth in simplicity. Again, there is that freedom. You don’t have to have a bag of “spiritual tricks” that you carry with you. You have your testimony and the authority of Christ. Your credentials are your intimate relationship with Jesus. We don’t have and we don’t need anything else. The heavy baggage of the Pharisees was something Jesus dropped long ago. Don’t pick it back up. Tell your story and do what your hands have to do. The rest will speak for itself.
Jesus also sent his disciples out with the command to respond to hospitality. What does that mean? In the passage, he tells them to find a place to stay and not to move from place to place. He tells them to finish what they were sent out to do in that town and then move on to the next place.
For some of us, it would mean when we are reaching out to someone and they are responding to Christ through and in us, we don’t walk away from that opportunity. For others, it means going back to the daily grind of life – the not so exciting routine – finding purpose in serving God in whatever we are doing. For others, it means starting at something we have never done before.
Whatever we find ourselves doing as we come out of our rest, we need to do it diligently. We need to recognize that it’s in the daily living – the breathing in and breathing out – it’s in these times that much kingdom work gets done.
So, to recap, find your balance. Time in rest; time in work. Remember you go out with the authority of Jesus. Keep it simple. And stick with the opportunity God has given you.
A word of caution: sometimes, when you have gone out, you will meet adversity. When that happens, do as Jesus commanded: move on. Let it go. Not everything will fall into place as we answer the call that Jesus sends out through you. Doesn’t make you a failure – it makes you a disciple. Keep going.
Answer these questions after thought and reflection on past, present and future.
Reflect and journal on the thought that you go out from resting with the authority of Jesus. What does that mean for you? How does it feel?
When you look at your past “work” time in the kingdom, do you find you were carrying more baggage than necessary? Were you making the gospel about more than the gospel? How can you simplify your ministry? Your everyday life?
Where do you see yourself as you leave the resting place of today? Do you see yourself jumping into busy activity mode? Do you see yourself assisting another who is in busy mode? Do you see yourself afraid to move forward in some activity or ministry because it’s just too daunting? Do you need more time with God?
You are a daughter of God. Hopefully you will be refreshed by the strength of Christ on Saturday. You’ve been given his authority, his words, his hands. Be assured Christ is with you as you step out in faith. Now, go and prepare for those five thousand hungry folks!
